Ferrymead Tram Tracts

The Journal of the Tramway Historical Society Issue 54 – February 2021

Modelling Blackpool’s Trams Roof Shout for Mornington 103? More Trolleybus Progress

The Tramway Historical Society P. O. Box 1126, Christchurch 81401 - www.ferrymeadtramway.org.nz

Ferrymead Tram Tracts February 2021 President’s Piece – Stephen Taylor So, welcome to the first 27th January. For this we chartered a modern double Ferrymead Tram Tracts for decker bus from Ritchies Coach Lines. We 2021. Hopefully 2021 will be understand Ritchies had brought this down from a little more “normal” than Auckland, in part to try and interest ECan in using 2020 was. double decker buses on timetable services in the

From a Ferrymead Tramway future, but also for charter work. The route included point of view, it was pleasing travelling around the ring road (in an anti-clockwise to see we had a good direction) to Harewood Road, involved a brief stop number of tram tickets sold at the old Papanui Railway Station – which was also over the period from the Papanui terminus of the Papanui Cashmere line. 20th December through to the end of January when We then travelled down Papanui Road and Colombo the tramway running seven days a week i.e. every Street – pruning the odd road-side tree as we went. day that Ferrymead Park was open. I would like to The bus then travelled up Dyers Pass Road (pruning thank all those members who helped run the trams even more trees) to the Sign of the Takahe where during that period, and special note needs to go to members had another leg stretch (see picture), John Harris for making sure that the roster was full. before the bus proceeded down Hackthorne Road Operating the Ferrymead Tramway brings in the then back to the Tram Barn via Centaurus, Port Hills majority of the funds the Society needs for the day- and Bridle Path Roads. It was interesting to see how to-day operation of the Society. the bus performed – there appears to be no issues in

From a Tram Barn workshop point of view, there going up Dyers Pass road for instance. But at just have been a number of activities on the go. Work by under 4.2m tall, there were a few interesting HTT staff on #24’s trucks is proceeding well, and moments as it travelled under the Moorhouse Road they have restarted work on the body of #24 as overbridge on Colombo street, and also under the other activities permit. Also, work is continuing on Tunnel Road overbridge on Port Hills Road – where the clearance was advertised as being 4.3m! re-tubing the Kitson boiler and also on the roof of the Dunedin Grip Car #103. And after the HTT guys Membership Renewals Update returned from leave in January, they have been These went out to all members in January – the vast giving the Society’s Case loader a bit of TLC. This was majority by e-mail plus by NZ Post to those without mainly to fix a major oil leak in the transmission, but e-mail addresses. These have all been sent to the e- as this needed the loader to be substantially mail address or street address that we have on file dismantled, work is being done on fixing a number for you. If you haven’t received a membership of problems – mainly caused by general wear and renewal, please get in touch so that we can re-send tear over the last two decades or more – that have one through. We have also had a number of been discovered during the stripping down process. members send us a donation for their favourite projects with their renewals. Other activities that have been happening include ongoing work in and around the Trolley Bus shed – We have received a number of membership which I understand will be reported on elsewhere, renewals already from members – over 50% at last work on getting Trolley Bus 210 back into operating count, but that means we are still missing quite a condition – including fixing and refitting a broken few. And remember, for New Zealand based leaf spring and then a good servicing over the pit in members, if you pay by 28th February, your annual Tram Barn 2. subscription will be discounted as detailed on the

We also had over 20 members and their families join membership renewal form. us for the annual Sunset Tour on Wednesday

SINCERE CONDOLENCES

As this issue of Tracts was going to press, we were saddened to hear that the mother of our former President, Graeme Belworthy had passed away. On behalf of the Society, our sincere condolences go out to Graeme at this time. The funeral will be held at 2:00PM at St. David’s Anglican Church, Belfast on Monday 15 February.

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Notices and News WORK DAY Power House project, and which are being saved for The Society’s next Work Day will be held – potential re use. coronavirus alert levels pending – on Saturday 20 Trolleybus 210 was taken up to the tram barns, to February. There will also be a post-Work Day Zoom replace a broken spring leaf. This turned out to be meeting; NOTE: For technical reasons a ZOOM link multiple cracks and was repaired by Bellamy and has not been able to be provided in TRACTs – please East Ltd. Anthony Holliday has replaced it in the bus. e-mail Dave Hinman @ At the time of writing the bus is over the pit having a [email protected] if you would full service, but may have to be brought outside as like to attend. tram 11 is due to arrive from the city for work. While

STOP PRESS – THE MARCHANT COLLECTION 210 is over the pit we hope to identify an earth leak As this issue of Tracts was going to press, the Society on the bus. Thanks to the Post & Telegraph Society had been gifted and taken delivery of a model we had use of their 1947 Ford V8 Jailbar tow unit tramway layout built by long-time Society member, and used this to tow 210 to the pit.

Barry Marchant. This layout, along with a collection The kitchen in the trolleybus shed has been receiving of related books and tramway-interest items, were attention. We have obtained a dishwasher and a safely moved to on-site store at Ferrymead on smaller and more practical fridge have been Tuesday 9 February. We will run a more detailed obtained. These have been fitted into a rebuilt story on the acquisition of the Marchant Collection kitchen bench. A decent cupboard has been installed next month. above the bench. The stove has been moved

FROM THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAY alongside the bench and Dave Sanders has rewired it No major news to report this month, but by the time in to place. Jonathan Day was able to obtain a you read this Dunedin 11 will have returned to quantity of vinyl planks and these4 have been fitted Ferrymead for some maintenance work. in the front of the room by the bench. Stephen

FROM THE TROLLEYBUS SHED Taylor has tidied up the carpet and joined this to the As reported in previous issues of Tracts, we have vinyl. The other room in the upstairs area had been simplified the overhead structure at both ends of the the repository for a large amount of “junk”. This has Trolleybus shed. This will make the overhead lighter been sorted and the useful bits put into storage, and not put so much stress on the poles that support either downstairs in the Artefact room or in the overhead. It also lessens the risk of stalling on Cranmer. The old and damaged carpet has been dead sections or dewiring. Since then Larry Day, removed. Our intentions are to wall off the front end assisted by others, has gone through the whole of of this room and use it as uniform storage. Craig the depot area taking out all the kinks and Bullen has spent time sorting out the uniform items. imperfections in the contact wire. The main running MORNINGTON 103 – TIME FOR A ROOF SHOUT? wires at the front of the shed have been readjusted Society Editor, Alastair Cross received the following to final tension and the depot connection is also email from Don McAra: about to receive the same treatment. In doing the Attached are three pics in which Bill Perry is rebuilding of the overhead all the bolts clamps and removing G-clamps from the now almost completed other fittings are treated with copper cote or zinc outer roof rail of Mornington 103. Due to lack of a paint which will make it easier to undo should this spreader bar when 103 was originally brought to THS be necessary in the future. from Cromwell this rail and much of the roof was

Philip Murphy and Mark Hibbs, assisted by others smashed. We hope to install the rebuilt clerestory have had a massive clean-up along the east side of roof on top of 103 soon. It's all one step at a time! the shed. There are windows on the East wall of the Also during the holiday break, Don received an email shed that need repairing or removing. We intend to from the foundry team at A & G Price of Thames, get the tower wagon alongside the shed to achieve informing him that all four wheels had been cast and this. There was a lot of growth and some tree were now undergoing stress relief before machining. stumps in the area. Once the shed is repaired we It is hoped that the wheels will be delivered intend to lay weed mat and gravel the area. This will sometime this month. give us storage space for items from the aborted

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ABOVE: Work in progress – the front room in the Trolleybus Shed, soon to become the new uniform store. Photos: Jonathan Day (left); Alan Roi (right).

With the trolleybus overhead now approaching the stage where it could be tested, the Post & Telegraph Society’s Ford Jailbar tow vehicle has arrived at the Tram Barns with Christchurch 210 for mechanical attention and to trace an unwanted electrical ‘leak’. By the time you read this, 210 will be on its way back to the Trolleybus Shed to make room in Tram Barn 2 for Dunedin ‘Boxcar’ 11, and the next trolleybus – most likely Wellington 103 – will follow in due course when space becomes available. Photo: Jonathan Day.

TRAM DRIVING TIPS WITH DAVID JONES

A reminder that traffic staff and members of the public are not permitted at any time to be underneath tramcars, or to place hands or limbs across the rails anywhere near the wheels of a tramcar. Only workshop staff in compliance with set procedures may work underneath tramcars.

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TWO PHOTOS: Bill Perry at work, removing the G-clamps from Mornington 103’s roof rail. Also visible are 103’s reinstated front aprons and parts of the window frames – it’s starting to look like a real cable car again! Two photos: Don McAra.

ABOVE: All I want for Christmas is… four shiny new wheels, and that is what Mornington 103 will get, courtesy of A & G Price’s foundry in Thames. The above photo was kindly supplied by Price’s Mechanical Engineer, Chris Harison, and was passed on to us by Don. We now eagerly await the finished product!

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Modelling Blackpool’s Trams During last year’s coronavirus lockdown, Society member David Jones had a unique opportunity to work on a fleet of ‘00’ scale model trams – his chosen subject: Blackpool, home of England’s last original tramway system. This article was produced by David for Tracts in April 2020, but was not chosen for publication at that time.

Blackpool was Britain’s last operating street tramway dating back to the era of first generation electric trams. Between 1962 and 1992 it was the only operating street tramway in Britain. Today the tramway is operated by modern light rail vehicles and a sprinkling of heritage trams from the earlier generation. By the early 1930s street tramways were starting to look their age and the modern motor bus was being aggressively marketed as an alternative. An engineer, G. J. Rackham, was responsible for the advances in motorbus technology. On his return from the USA in the mid-1920s he went to work for Leyland where he was responsible for the Leyland Titan and Tiger models. He soon returned to the company he worked for before going to the USA – AEC, long time makers of London buses. There he was responsible for the AEC Regent and Regal models. These buses were advanced for their time and many tramways succumbed to pressure to purchase buses instead of trams.

In Blackpool the tramway manager, Walter Luff, swam against the tide and from 1934 replaced and upgraded Blackpool’s tram fleet with modern rolling stock. The first new trams were the ‘Boats’ – twelve open top single- deckers, named after their appearance (top right). All but four are still in existence either in Blackpool or museums around the world. The class leader, 600, has been named ‘Duchess of Cornwall’.

A large fleet of 45 single decker ‘Railcoaches’ built by English Electric with a top up order of a further 20 by Brush were obtained from 1937 onward (centre right). In addition a fleet of 12 Brush ‘Sun Saloons’– convertibles – was obtained at the outbreak of war but they were immediately pressed into troop transport service. After the war the ‘Sun Saloons’ were fully enclosed and fitted with VAMBAC electrical equipment and used on the Marton route. All but one of the ‘Saloons’ were scrapped when the route closed in the early 1960s; the sole survivor is now preserved at the East Anglia Transport Museum. I have never been able to find a photo of a Sun Saloon in as built condition.

(Editor’s note: VAMBAC - Variable Automatic Multinotch Braking and Acceleration Control – was a unique type of lever-operated British controller equipment designed for smoother, faster and quieter acceleration and braking. Blackpool was the most notable user of this equipment; a short clip of the remaining Sun Saloon’s VAMBAC equipment in action can be found on Beamish Museum’s YouTube Channel.)

Next came twenty-seven double-deckers – thirteen open top ‘Luxury Dreadnoughts’ and fourteen closed top double- deckers, latterly known as ‘Balloons’ (overleaf top). The ‘dreadnaught’ name came from an earlier generation of open top trams that they replaced. The ‘Luxury Dreadnaughts’ were fully enclosed during the war. One reverted to open top condition in the 1980s and is named

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‘Princess Alice’ (right). Walter Luff is remembered by ‘Balloon’ 717 which now bears his name, unveiled by his daughter Daphne Luff.

And so to a couple of models I modified to represent a ‘Boat’ and a ‘Luxury Dreadnaught’. The original models are Corgi Classics 1:76 (‘00’) scale Blackpool tram models of a ‘Railcoach’ and a ‘Balloon’.

BELOW: The finished fleet on Dave’s tram shed diorama. From left: ‘Boat’, ‘Luxury Dreadnaught’, ‘Balloon’ and ‘Railcoach’. The latter two models are out-of-the-box models produced by Corgi – part of the famous Hornby Hobbies modelling empire.

LEFT: The noble art of ‘kitbashing’ – the modelling term given for modifying a proprietary item into something else. In this case, the chosen item to ‘bash’ is a Corgi Blackpool ‘Railcoach’ with the upper saloon body removed, using a photograph of one of the Blackpool Heritage Fleet ‘Boats’ as a guide. Dave used a kitset for the tram’s pole tower and base, and repainted the tram body himself. The interior needed little attention beyond the installation of the passenger figures shown; being Chinese-made 1:87 (‘H0’) scale, Dave wryly admits that they did not have to be chopped off below the knees to fit into the tram!

All photos: David Jones; Alan Robson (‘Balloon’ car)

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ABOVE: Dylan Roberts at the controls of 26 while learning to drive a tram. He is being observed by Operations Chairman John Honeybone. Photo: David Jones.

FRONT COVER: Sign of the Takahe, and Ritchies double-decker bus, alias the ‘Tree Trimmer’ (!) lays over for THS members to inspect. Time will tell if double-deckers catch on in Christchurch more than sixty-six years after its last double-decker public transport vehicles – the remaining horse- and steam-tram trailers converted for electric tramway services. In the meantime, both Auckland and Wellington possess fleets of modern double-deck buses. Photo: Stephen Taylor.

Ferrymead Tram Tracts is the newsletter of the Tramway Historical Society

The Tramway Historical Society P. O. Box 1126, Christchurch 8140 – www.ferrymeadtramway.org.nz Follow us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/christchurchtramwaysociety/ 8